Company
by shinchansgirl
Summary: {au{3x4{eventual 1x2{x-mas fic} Heero is alone this Christmas, despite his past happiness with the holiday and with his best friend, Trowa. Can a little holiday visit cheer up this humbug, or will his past be too much of a burden to carry? COMPLETE
1. Default

Title: Company

Author: Mistress Tsunami

Rating: R

Pairings: 3x4

Warnings: Heero angst! Major major! Umm...death, but not of a main character. X-mas depression. AU. OOC, but it's AU, so that's a given.

Heero stared out his bedroom window, lukewarm tea in his hand. His legs curled about him on his bed, positioned so that he could see out the window, and into the sky.

It was snowing. It was Christmas-time, the time of year that Heero liked the least. His parents had died only a few years before, on Christmas Eve. It had been a tragic accident, both of them caught in a car crash on their way home – to him. Their cab had been hit by a drunk driver; it was a hit and run.

Not very many people knew much about Heero Yuy. He was a lone college student, roomed by himself, never got any mail, and seemed unusually crabby around Christmas. The lone card he got had been from an old friend, Trowa, and had merely contained the lyrics to an old Christmas movie. They described his path aptly, if not perfectly.

A few choice lyrics skimmed through his head as he watched the wind blow snow off the trees in the college green, which he had been lucky enough to face. _'When a cold wind blows it chills you, chills you to the bone. But there's nothing in nature that freezes you harder than years of being alone. It paints you with indifference like a lady paints with rouge, but the worst of the worst, the most hated and cursed, is the one that we call Scrooge...' _1 Heero was a Scrooge, in the strictest sense of the word, but he hadn't always been that way. No, there was a time when Heero had loved Christmas, and had loved it with all of his heart.

"Hey Heero, wait up!" Heero turned towards Trowa's familiar call. Trowa was his neighbor and classmate, and when possible they walked home together. Heero hadn't realized that Trowa would be free this afternoon, so he hadn't waited. Trowa, however, had caught him leaving.

"Trowa," Heero greeted as they began to walk. Both had been boys of few words for a time, and still were that way with strangers, but around each other they felt free enough to talk to each other.

And talk they did.

"What's Santa bringing you for Christmas?" Trowa asked, the familiar jibe. Both boys had learned years ago of their not-quite-so-mystical givers of gifts, but still enjoyed the memories and traditions of the secret gift-giving.

"Don't know. I didn't really ask for much this year. I'm hoping for one of those new laptops before I go off to college next year, but I doubt I'll get one. They're probably saving that for graduation. Oh, but there were a few computer games I wanted to have, and some books on writing." That was Heero's little secret, the small thing that only Trowa and Heero's parents knew. Heero wanted to be a writer.

"Nice. I'd take the laptop. I'm hoping for a car again, but I doubt it'll happen," Trowa said with a sigh, "I'll just have to keep my old junker. But I AM hoping for a new flute. Which reminds me, there's someone I want you to meet. I met him at band, he's our age, and he has a brother that he's bringing to our New Year's Eve party. You ARE coming, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it!"

"Great! He's wonderful, I just know you're going to love him."

Heero snickered as they reached the gate to his house, and Trowa's right next door. "Sounds like someone already loves him."

Trowa blushed to the roots of his strange hair. "You...don't mind. Do you?"

"That you're gay? Hell no. If I minded, I'd have to hurt myself for being bi."

Trowa sighed in relief. "Thanks Heero. I don't know how I'm going to do this."

"Be yourself, and he'll come around. Ask before you make a move though which way he swings. It's better to have him as a friend than not at all, you know," Heero warned. "But don't worry. You're quite a catch, I'm sure you'll get 'im, li'l bro."

Trowa smirked. "You know, that doesn't work anymore."

"True. You're taller than me. Damn."

That had been the day before his Christmas break. The last break he would spend with his parents, little over a week before they had died. Heero continued to stare out the window. How could he have known that something was going to happen? He should have been more considerate, more careful. Maybe he should have protested more about them leaving for a party so close to their traditional Christmas time. Their _family_ time.

But Heero couldn't. He couldn't say that they were wrong or that he was. More importantly, he couldn't change anything.

And then he had cut himself off from the few friends he had his senior year. He had dismissed Trowa's party and nearly ignored him altogether.

For some reason, though, he still sent Trowa his spare keys, and Trowa sent him his. For as long as he could remember they had done this. Heero got a new chest, both boys had a key, Trowa got a new car, both boys had keys, Heero moved into a dorm, both boys had keys, Trowa moved into an apartment, both boys had keys. Maybe Heero was hoping that, when things got bad, someone would remember him, would remember the time they spent together.

Maybe he was just hoping that he wouldn't be alone forever.

Whatever it was, Heero didn't know. And right then, he didn't care. He just wanted to sit there, on his bed in his single room, and stare at the snow. It would be his second Christmas since his parents had died.

His third New Years.

Merry Christmas, Heero; your parents are dead.

'...there goes Mr. Sneer. He has no time for friends or fun, his anger makes that clear...'

'...no crust and bread for those in need; no cheeses for us meeses...' 2

__

"Poor kid, and on Christmas, too."

"I know. What do we do?"

"Tell him. He's old enough to be out on his own if he wishes, or he could stay with friends, family. This is going to hit him hard."

"Is there nothing?"

"We can't do anything, I'm afraid. Technically, he has a home to return to and is old enough to be on his own legally; we can't keep him if he wants to leave."

"Sir?" Heero asked, knocking on the door and opening it slightly. He gave no indication that he had overheard. "Sir, can you tell me about my parents? Are they going to be all right?"

He had not expected the nurse to break down in tears and flee.

"Heero, come in and sit down for a minute." Heero sat in one of the chairs, watching warily as the doctor sat on the empty bed. "Heero, I don't really know how to say this. I don't want to say this, especially not now. Your parents are dead, Heero."

Heero didn't move. Didn't speak. And then, quietly, "Can I see them, please?"

"It's not a pretty sight."

"I just want to say good-bye."

"Of course."

The lock in the room turned. Heero jerked, watching it, careful not to spill his now cold tea. He had to sleep there at night.

Trowa walked in, followed by two silent figures with boxes plainly wrapped, and not overly bright. "Merry Christmas, Heero," Trowa greeted.

"Why are you here?" Heero snapped, turning away.

"I'm here because I'd still like you to meet someone. And it's Christmas. You've been letting your gifts accumulate for nearly two years now, mother's getting worried that you'll never come for them." Heero snorted. "We brought a few with us."

"Whatever."

"Heero this is Duo Maxwell. I think you two might get along quite nicely, if Heero ever gets his head out of his ass."

"I like my head where it is, thank you very much. I am perfectly content to sit here and wallow in my misery," Heero stated in a you-already-KNEW-that tone.

"And I am not content to let you," Trowa shot back. "Heero, meet Quatre Winner, Duo's brother and my boyfriend."

1 Lyrics from 'A Muppet Christmas Carol.'

2 more lyrics from the same. Last word is 'meeses', yes. It's mice, pronounced 'me-s' with the plural added, for dramatic effect, I think. Another line in the song is 'it's even worse for mouses.' As the animals in here represent people, this is probably meant to be a slur on the poorer class, the workers. Enough with the analyzing...


	2. Default

Title: Company 2/?

Author: Mistress Tsunami

Rating: R

Pairings: 3x4, 1x2

Warnings: Heero angst! Major major! Umm...death, but not of a main character. X-mas depression. AU. OOC, but it's AU, so that's a given.

" I am perfectly content to sit here and wallow in my misery."

"And I am not content to let you. Heero, meet Quatre Winner, Duo's brother and my boyfriend."

"Whatever," Heero answered listlessly. He didn't really care who they were, they could have been the Crowned Prince and his brother, and Heero would have treated them the same. He just wanted Trowa to do whatever he felt he had to and then leave. '_It paints you with indifference like a lady paints with rouge...'_

"Alright Mr. Humbug, sit there and wallow in misery. We, however, are going to have fun, and we're going to do it right here, and you're _going_ to open those presents we brought all the way up here," Duo stated boldly.

"Enjoy yourselves. Don't mind me," Heero answered. Maybe they were only looking for a place to celebrate the holidays, but he seriously doubted it.

"You used to love Christmas, Heero," Trowa protested.

"Yeah, until my gift two years ago. Merry Christmas, Heero; your parents are _dead_."

"Couldn't you at least _try_ to be happy?" Duo asked, hands on his hips and leaning towards Heero with a gleam in his eyes, not that the other noticed.

"Give me one good reason why I should, and 'because it's Christmas' is not a good reason."

The three visitors looked at each other, and nodded. They knew that it might come to this, that was one of the reasons that they had brought Duo along. Duo knew something that might bring him out of his depression, and so the braided boy set to work.

"Come on Heero," he urged, pulling on the dark-haired boy's arm, "let's go for a walk."

Heero took a moment to study the creature that was urging him on. Pale skin; dark clothes; long, brown, braided hair; stunning violet eyes. If Heero had been in a good mood, he might have even said that the other was attractive, as it was he merely served to piss Heero off more. "And why the hell would I want to go out in the cold and snow?"

"Because I want to show you something, and it's not inside," Duo answered reasonably, handing the boy a pair of shoes he had found and searching for socks.

"Second drawer. I repeat: why?"

Duo opened the drawer and found the socks. "Please?" he asked, sweetly and softly, as he handed Heero the clothing.

Heero sighed. "I hate my life," he said, to no one in particular, and pulled on the socks before putting on his shoes and taking the coat that Trowa was handing him. "Well," he snapped, "don't wait around all day. The sooner we get out there, the sooner you can leave."

Duo smiled, and walked on, hanging shamelessly on Heero's arm. He waved bye to his brother and his brother's boyfriend before the elevator doors closed, taking both boys down to the main floor.

The journey was made in silence, and Heero, believe it or not, had no idea where they were heading. He hadn't ventured off of campus grounds much, and, even though it was his home city, didn't much care for visiting anyone or anywhere.

He noticed that they had stopped, but couldn't perceive why Duo had brought him to an orphanage.

The place was pretty run-down. It was obvious that the roof leaked, and some of the windows looked broken, and appeared to be fixed with duct tape. The lights were low, and the scrawny, artificial tree in the window looked to have seen better years.

"Why did you bring me here?" Heero asked in his own unique monotone.

"Because this is where I grew up," Duo answered, and that seemed to be his queue, for he then pulled Heero inside, and he didn't bother to knock. "Sister Helen?" he called.

"DUO!" what seemed to be a million little voices called out. Boys and girls of all ages rushed forward to squeeze the braided man in a group hug, and a few were fearless enough to hug Heero as well.

"Merry Christmas, Duo," a nun greeted gently. "What brings you here at this time of year?"

"Wanted to bring a friend over," Duo answered. "Heero, this is Sister Helen, the nun who raised me before I was adopted by the Winners."

Heero nodded, and took the hand she offered, but didn't speak.

"It's good to have you here, Heero. I'm afraid the place isn't at it's cleanest right now, but I hope you don't mind."

Heero remained silent.

A little girl tugged at his coat sleeve, and he looked down at her, his gaze stern. "Are you Mr. Duo's boyfriend?" she asked shamelessly.

"Katie, now, don't go bugging Heero now," Duo interrupted, picking the girl up. "Why don't we all sit down for a while. It's story-time, isn't it?"

Sister Helen nodded, and the children cheered.

"Will you tell us the story, Duo?" one of the little boys asked. Heero had a feeling the braided man knew all their names by heart.

"Sure. Come on Heero, story time."

All the children gathered around the Christmas tree, and, by unanimous vote, Duo was to sing Christmas songs in place of their usual story.

Heero listened with interest when he heard the first lines, taken in by both the messages, and the voice.

"_It's in the singing of a street-corner choir; it's going home and getting warm by the fire; it's true wherever you find love, it feels like Christmas..."_

* * *

"_Momma! Pappa! Wake up! It's Christmas!" A small Heero Yuy shouted, jumping up on his parents bed, narrowly missing their legs in the process._

"_Why don't you go downstairs and see what Santa brought you, sweetie?" his mother asked, voice slurred with sleep._

_Heero looked confused. "But didn't he bring you stuff, too?"_

"_Of course, sweetheart," his mother answered. "He brought us you."_

_His father kissed him on the forehead. "We love you, never forget that. Now go see what Santa brought you, and see if maybe there's a gift for your momma as well."_

_Heero, faith in Santa restored, grinned widely and jumped down, gone from the room in an instant, and the sounds of ripping paper could soon be heard._

"_A cup of kindness that we share with another, a sweet reunion with a friend or a brother - in all the places you find love, it feels like Christmas!_"

* * *

Heero frowned. '_I used to have that...'_ he thought to himself. He accepted the warm cup of cocoa that the Sister handed him, absently noting that it tasted mostly like heated water. Duo put his mug on the table, continuing to sing to the children, and, Heero noted, to him.

"_It is the season of the heart, a special time of caring, the ways of love made clear. It is the season of the sprit, the message - if we hear it – yes, make it last all year. It's in the giving of a gift to another; a pair of mittens that were made by your mother._" Heero winced. His mother had made him mittens – several times, and not all were Christmas gifts."_It's all the ways that we show love that feel like Christmas. A part of childhood that you'll always remember; it is the summer of the soul in December. Yes, it's when you do your best for love, it feels like Christmas._"

Heero was beginning to understand why Duo had brought him here, but that didn't mean that he had to like it, or accept it.

It wasn't until Duo launched into another song that Heero refocused on the present and searched for the message.

"_Come, they told me, pa-rump-a-pa-pum, Our new-born king to see, pa-rump-a-pa-pum. Our finest gifts we bring, pa-rump-a-pa-pum. So to offer him pa-rump-a-pa-pum-rump-a-pa-pum-rump-a-pa-pum, come, they told me, pa-rump-a-pa-pum, when we come. Baby Jesus, pa-rump-a-pa-pum. I am a poor boy too, pa-rump-a-pa-pum. I have no give to give, pa-rump-a-pa-pum, that's fit to give a king pa-rump-a-pa-pum-rump-a-pa-pum-rump-a-pa-pum. Shall I play for you, pa-rump-a-pa-pum, on my drum? Mary nodded, pa-rump-a-pa-pum. The ox and lamb kept time, pa-rump-a-pa-pum. I played my drum for him, pa-rump-a-pa-pum. I played my best for him, pa-rump-a-pa-pum-rump-a-pa-pum-rump-a-pa-pum. Then he smiled at me, pa-rump-a-pa-pum. Me and my drum._"

Heero smiled to himself, hidden by his mug of cocoa. He liked this boy. His message came across clear, unpressured, and he had a good voice. Plus the fact that he was attractive. He was poor, obviously. Heero could spoil him if he wanted to. He was indirectly related to the Winners. Trowa would become his brother in truth, if things worked out for both of them.

If they didn't, oh well. Heero never did put much faith in anything anymore, truth be told.

Trowa was bound to seek him out next year anyway, and no doubt would bring this boy with him. If not, he was sure to visit the orphanage again anyway.

Heero had an idea.

* * *

"..._The best gift given is a gift that can be shared..."_

"..._Isn't there a present for you, too?..."_

"..._I love you, mommy..."_

"..._I love you..."_

"..._love you..."_

* * *

SONGS USED: From Muppet Cristmas Carol: Scrooge

And 'The Little Drummer Boy'


	3. Default

Title: Company 3/?

Author: Mistress Tsunami

Rating: R

Pairings: 3x4, 1x2

Warnings: Heero angst! Major major! Umm...death, but not of a main character. X-mas depression. AU. OOC, but it's AU, so that's a given.

Heero had an idea. True, he wasn't sure if it would affect his relationship with the braided boy in any way, but it was certain to get Trowa off his back for another few years.

Duo and Heero were leaving the orphanage, to the dismay of most of the children, and were heading back to the dorms. "Go meet Trowa. I'll be up later," Heero told his companion.

"What are you doing? I'll join you."

"It's none of your business. Go away." Heero's tone was brisk, and it brooked no argument.

Duo, however, saw fit to ignore it. "Look, mister, I know you don't like Christmas and all that, but you can't just brush off your friends like you hadn't spent most of your lives together. I may not know you that well, but I do know Trowa. Not as well as you did, and probably still do, but I can tell when hurts.

"And what you did hurt him, Heero. It hurt him bad. He thought that the two of you were friends. You sent him your keys, and he thought that maybe, just maybe, you were still friends. And then, being the heartless bastard that you are, you brush him off again when he comes to make you feel better. You could at least make an effort to be social, for Trowa's sake, if not your own."

Heero's plan got shot down the drain with that little speech. It wasn't that he was planning on following the brunette's advice now. No, now he was pissed.

"Who are you to tell me how to run my life, huh? Do you even know what I've been through? You all have these...illusions of how great life can be, even after all the bad that's happened. You ever think that maybe it doesn't matter? All it is an illusion. People die every day. There are people dying right now, and it doesn't matter, because one day, that person dying will be you, and it won't matter how much money you had or how great your education was; it won't even matter how much you loved and were loved in return.

"None of that will matter because you'll be _dead_."

And with that, Heero Yuy stormed into the icy cold streets, hoping to have some time alone.

_"There's nothing in nature that freezes you harder than years of being alone."_

_'I don't care,'_ Heero thought to himself. _'Let me be cold, someone needs to be. Someone needs to see the reality of this world, and it's certainly not going to be those idealistic maniacs.'_

_'They probably think that I'm the maniac. Not that it matters.'_

Heero walked without a clear destination in mind, and so was startled to find himself at the old churchyard. The back area - where, in most religious grounds, there normally stood a graveyard – had been made into a park-like area, with trees and benches, and the occasional flowered memorial to one saint or another.

Heero had spent a lot of time in this churchyard as a child. For himself and Trowa, it doubled as a study ground, peaceful and quiet, as well as a playground. The days when he had come here had been happy, always. Nothing had shaken his childhood dreams.

Until his parents had died. He hadn't been back to this park since. He hadn't had a single happy moment since their deaths. He wasn't certain if he ever would again.

'_He must be so lonely; he must be so sad. He goes to extremes to convince us he's bad. He's merely a victim of fear and of pride: look close and there must be a sweet man inside...nah...uhn-uh!'_

* * *

_Heero sat under the maple tree, _The Scarlet Letter _sitting on his chest where he had let it slip. Trowa lay beside him, curled around a Geometry book. The sun was setting, and the fading light reflected off of Heero's glasses, but the sleeping boys didn't notice their light fading. Earlier they had been struggling to finish their homework, now they were catching up on their sleep._

_It wasn't long before their parents sought them out, the flash of a camera startling them out of their sleep._

_Laughing, the two boys went home for the night, promising to finish their work tomorrow. After all, they were two chapters ahead in nearly every subject, there was sufficient time to slack off._

* * *

Duo watched Heero sit down on the cold, snowy bench from a tree not too far away, not realizing that he stood where Heero had once studied, played, and slept. His feet stood where Trowa had lain, curled around that tattered Geometry book. The maple tree had grown, and it's leaves were now brown, turning to dirt beneath him. His hand brushed against a marking he did not see, 'Trowa and Heero, friends for life'.

He didn't know any of this. He simply knew that there was a boy sitting on a bench not too far away. A boy who was silently screaming for help.

Quietly, Duo inched closer. He was within hearing distance when Heero decided that he should go through with his plan, no matter if the braided boy was interested or not. Heero, not realizing that the object of his thoughts was behind him, called one of his dorm-mates, a boy majoring in architecture.

"Hello, may I speak to Chang Wufei please?" Heero asked.

Duo couldn't hear the other side of the line, but Heero listened intently as the female answered. "Just a moment."

"This is Wufei," a deep voice answered a few minutes later.

"This is Heero Yuy. I'm one of the people staying in your dorm, and I was wondering if you could possibly do some work as a favor to me. I'd pay you well, and I'd allow time for classes, and family time."

"Yuy, it's Christmas. Why are you calling me now?"

"You should know as well as anyone how I feel about Christmas, Chang," Heero answered coldly. "Do you want the job or not?"

"Where and when?" the boy on the other side of the line asked.

"An orphanage not too far from the school. I want the roof fixed by New Years. The rest of it I don't care when, but you'll be paid for whatever you do."

Duo gasped, but the sound was lost as Heero listened to the Asian boy who shared his dorm. "I can get the roof done in a day, if it's not too bad. Just repairs, right? Or do I have to replace the whole thing?"

"Just repairs. I think."

"I'll get it done on the 29th, that gives me an extra day if it needs more. You better be paying me a whole damn lot to make me come back down there for a day just after Christmas."

"Cost of materials and 30 an hour until after the first of the new year, then I'll drop it to 25 an hour, or would you rather by job?"

"Hourly's fine. Are we done?"

"I'll write up a contract, other than that, yes. One last thing."

"What?" Wufei asked shortly, obviously irritated.

"I don't want them to know it's me."

"Fine. Good night. Merry Christmas."

"Whatever." Heero hung up.

He didn't even look up as Duo sat down beside him, and they stared off into the darkness for a long time together in silence.

"You never gave Trowa your cell phone number," Duo commented after a while. "Are you really so desperate to leave him?"

"Yes...no...why do you care, anyway?" Heero demanded, frustrated with the question he couldn't quite answer.

"Because, he's my friend. And I want you to be, too." Heero didn't answer. Duo sighed, and pulled out a piece of paper. It was crumpled, and it looked like Duo had folded it several times over. It was still readable, though. He handed it to Heero. "That's my cell phone number. I don't know if you'll ever use it, or if you'll even want to, but just in case...keep it on you. I appreciate what you did, and I'm willing to keep Tro and Quat off your back this Christmas, but the gifts will still be in your room when you get back."

Duo paused, unsure how to go on. "I know you're angry, Heero, and I know you don't want anyone to help you, but please, if you ever need anything, even if it's just a cup of cocoa or someone to stay silent on the other end of the line...give me a call. Anytime of the day or night, I don't care.

"I'm always awake, anyway..."

And with that cryptic response, Duo was gone.

'_We're Marley and Marley; avarice and greed. We took advantage of the poor, just ignored the needy. We specialized in causing pain, spreading here and out; and if you could not pay the rent we simply threw you out!' _The words of the old movie seeped into Heero's mind; he remembered it now. He used to love it, and insist that his parents play it every year. '_There was the year we threw out the entire orphanage! Yes, I remember the little tikes all standing in the snowbank, with their frostbitten teddy bears! Ahhh – shame! We're Marley and Marley; our hearts were painted black! We should have known our evil deeds would put us both in shackles. We're cast in chains and double-ironed, exhausted by the weight; as freedom comes with spreading love, oh, prison comes with hate! But, my friends, you were not unfeeling towards your fellow men. True, there was something about mankind we liked. I think it was their money! You're doomed, Scrooge, you're doomed for all time! Your future is a horror story written by your crimes. Your chains are forged, by what you say and do. No matter what, when life is done, a nightmare waits for you!'_

Heero couldn't help but wonder...what were his chains...how heavy were they...and what nightmare awaited him after death.

SONGS: I hope I got them all right, I'm working from memory here. They're all from 'A Muppet Christmas Carol'


	4. Default

This is the end. The end of the season, as well as the end of this fic. If enough people want me to do more, I will, but unless you people like this fic...this is it.

I had fun.

–Tsu

Title: Company 4/4

Author: Mistress Tsunami

Rating: R

Pairings: 3+4

Warnings: Heero angst! Major major! Umm...death, but not of a main character. X-mas depression. AU. OOC, but it's AU, so that's a given.

"Because, he's my friend. And I want you to be, too. That's my cell phone number. I don't know if you'll ever use it, or if you'll even want to, but just in case...keep it on you. I appreciate what you did, and I'm willing to keep Tro and Quat off your back this Christmas, but the gifts will still be in your room when you get back.

"I know you're angry, Heero, and I know you don't want anyone to help you, but please, if you ever need anything, even if it's just a cup of cocoa or someone to stay silent on the other end of the line...give me a call. Anytime of the day or night, I don't care.

"I'm always awake, anyway..."

Heero couldn't help but wonder...what were his chains...how heavy were they...and what nightmare awaited him after death.

Right then, his chains felt unbearably heavy, and yet he could not say exactly why. He had done what he had set out to do. It may not have gone the way he liked, but the result was the same: he was alone again for Christmas.

So why did he feel like such a jerk?

'You sent him your keys, and he thought that maybe, just maybe, you were still friends...' Duo's words still haunted him, ringing through his mind. _'You hurt him...'_

Duo's words still haunted him, ringing through his mind. 

Heero sat in his room, watching the snow fall through his window, Ender's Game_ sitting in his lap where he had been reading. _

The doorbell rang, and he ran downstairs to see who it was. He was careful to stay out of sight – he was home alone – but when he saw it was Trowa, he rushed to answer. "Hey Trowa, what's up?"

"I forgot my key again," Trowa answered, stepping in out of the snow.

Heero nodded in understanding. "Want some cookies?"

"...okay."

Heero left for the kitchen, Trowa following a few minutes later. "Trowa," Heero said, setting the cookies on the table and grabbing one, "I have an idea. What if we asked our parents to make another copy of our keys and then exchanged them?"

"What good would that do?" Trowa asked, mouth full of chocolate chip goodness.

"Well, that way we would always have a home to come back to if we lost our own key."

Trowa's face brightened as the reasoning of the other thirteen-year-old set in. "That's a great idea! Let's do it. And we can do it with all our other keys, too, that way we won't ever lose each other!"

Heero smiled brightly, a rare occurrence when he was not alone. "Yeah. We'll never be lost again."

Ender's Game 

Something wet dripped onto his hand, and Heero lightly touched his face, startled to find that he was crying.

'What the hell am I doing?' Heero thought, rushing off the bench and racing towards his dorm room, hoping that by the time he got there, the others would not have left yet.

He wasn't sure if he would make it.

'_Life is full of unknown choices, every day's a gift...'_

"Heero, come on! We're going to the Light Festival!"

"Can I go momma, please?"

"Yes."

"All right! Coming Trowa!"

'_...and I can feel it lift my spirit. Fills me up with laughter, fills me up with song, and I can look in the eyes of love and know that I belong. Bless us all, who gather here, with gleeful days and joyful tears...'_

"...there's someone I want you to meet. I met him at band, he's our age, and he has a brother that he's bringing to our New Year's Eve party. You ARE coming, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it!"

"Great! He's wonderful, I just know you're going to love him."

"Sounds like someone already loves him."

'_I hope I'm not too late...'_

"Momma! Pappa! Wake up! It's Christmas!"

"Why don't you go downstairs and see what Santa brought you, sweetie?"

"But didn't he bring you stuff, too?"

"Of course, sweetheart. He brought us you."

"We love you, never forget that. Now go see what Santa brought you, and see if maybe there's a gift for your momma as well."

Heero opened his door slowly, hoping that the others had not left yet. His face was red from the run, tear tracks fading on his cheeks, and his breath slightly staggered. With his coat hanging off of one shoulder and his eyes downcast, he looked like a child who had done something wrong.

They were there, in his room, and packing up. They looked surprised to see him, especially Trowa and Duo, and Heero felt uncomfortably hot. He didn't know what to say.

"I..." he stammered, and then decided that the best thing to say would be the simplest. "I'm sorry."

Silence was his answer, but it wasn't long before strong arms came around him in a tight, loving, familiar embrace. Heero breathed in deep the scent of Trowa, the one friend he had truly and deeply missed.

And he cried.


End file.
